Business Coaching Profile: Tom Lamb

Now, as a business coach with Good Neighbor Pharmacy at Cencora, Tom is bringing that experience to pharmacy owners across the country, helping them identify new opportunities, strengthen their businesses, and navigate an increasingly complex marketplace. What makes him especially valuable in this role is that he is not advising from the sidelines.

“I lived the life that they’re living now,” Tom said. “I think they look at my relationship a little bit differently.”

That peer-to-peer credibility is at the heart of what makes Tom a unique addition to the business coaching team. Before joining Cencora, he spent 36 years owning and operating an independent pharmacy he purchased in 1989, building it into a thriving community healthcare destination with specialized offerings and deep local ties.

A career built in independent pharmacy

Tom spent his entire career in independent pharmacy, holding just three pharmacy jobs over the course of his professional life, all within the independent space.

His longest chapter began when he purchased a pharmacy that had already been serving its community since 1958. Over the next three and a half decades, Tom grew the business far beyond traditional dispensing. Under his leadership, the pharmacy expanded into vaccines, long-term care and compounding while remaining firmly grounded in personalized service.

“We were a very community-oriented anchor in the community,” he said.

That philosophy shaped the way he approached both care and business. Tom believes independent pharmacy succeeds when it becomes more than a place to pick up prescriptions. It becomes a trusted resource, a relationship hub, and a consistent presence in people’s lives.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, that role became even more visible. Tom’s pharmacy became a go-to destination for patients seeking information, support and vaccines, reinforcing the importance of being responsive to community needs.

Why he made the move to business performance coaching

After decades as an owner, he saw an opportunity to help other independent pharmacists thrive by sharing the lessons he learned firsthand.

“I have a strong passion for independent pharmacy and wanted to share what I was able to do over the past years with owners,” he said.

That passion led him to join the Good Neighbor Pharmacy business coaching team at Cencora. In this role, he works directly with pharmacy owners to talk through strategy, uncover growth opportunities, and provide guidance grounded in real-world experience.

Tom’s background as both a former pharmacy owner and a former Cencora customer gives him a particularly well-rounded perspective. He understands what owners need because he has been in their position. He also understands the value of having a knowledgeable coach who can bring market trends, practical ideas, and examples of what is working for other pharmacies.

“I think they were a source of market trends, things that were going on in the industry, and things that other pharmacies found successful,” Tom said. 

A practical voice owners can trust

Independent pharmacy owners are under constant pressure. Reimbursement challenges, staffing constraints, and changing patient expectations can make it difficult to step back and focus on long-term strategy. 

“I think that they have to see the rewards both professionally and financially,” he said. “You do have to commit to it. Sometimes you have to think out-of-the-box. Sometimes you must think out of your comfort level.”

Tom helps owners look beyond day-to-day demands and consider how services like immunizations and long-term care can become meaningful contributors to growth and stability. He often describes a successful pharmacy as one with multiple “parts of the pie” so the business can adapt as the market changes.

“If you do multiple different things in your pharmacy, you can fluctuate and weather some of the storms that are out there,” he said.

Tom knows what it takes to implement new services, earn staff and patient buy-in, and stay focused through change.

Helping owners take the next step

One example of Tom’s impact involves a pharmacy owner who had been hesitant to expand into vaccines. After talking through Tom’s own experience building a strong immunization program, that owner began embracing the opportunity and quickly started seeing results.

“He’s learned to push himself because he sees the benefits of it,” Tom said.

His approach is rooted in one word he returns to often: connection.

“My word always is connection,” he said. “It’s relationship, but it’s connections that you create with those people to gain the trust, to gain the respect, and to help them along their journey.”

That combination of lived experience, industry knowledge, and genuine empathy is what sets Tom apart. He is not simply coaching independent pharmacy owners. He is speaking their language, understanding their challenges, and helping them see what is possible.